Pyro-electric generator.



G. J. VOKEL.

PYRO ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 190s.

SHEET 1.

Patented Nov. 3

OODUOODOUOOOOOOOOOOCO G. J. VOKEL.

PYRo .ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1908.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2A iran sa FFICE.

.PYRO-ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application tiled January 15, 1908. Serial No. 410,890.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .GEORGE J. VoxnL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainlmprovements in `Pyro-Electric Generators, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide .av device designed to directly convert the energy developed by a burner or other suitable source` of heat into an electri\J current; it being particularly desired to provide a pyro-.electric generator which shall, in addition -to being compact and efficient, be of a substantial construction, with its parts so arranged as to require but little attention or repairs.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide a generator of the above noted type, in which the thermo couplesshall be pro'yided with cooling meansof improved arrangement and construction.

These and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l, is a vertical section illustrating my improved generator; Fig- 2, is a horizontal section taken onithe line 2-2, Fig. l; Fig. 3, is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, illustrating the arrangement and construction of certain of the detail parts of my device; Fig. 4, is a horizontal section further illustrating the structure shown in Fig.

3; and Fig. 5, is a vertical section illustrating a possible modification of my device.

In the above drawings A and are two substantially circular plates or disks, usually of iron, held together by a suitable number of bolts c extending between them and mounted in the present instance upon a suitable supporting structure of which the brackets are indicated. at c.

Confined between the plates is a cylinder B preferably of lava or other refractory material capable of withstanding high temperatures, and this in the present instance has at its Nends circular plates o and b of similar material placed between it and the plates A and fl. It is, however, to be understood that in many cases this cylinder may be omitted without departingfrom my invention, as it is employed mainly to protect the thermo couples hereafter. described, from the direct action of the heated gasses or products of combustion. Where the objections from this cause are not vital the cylinder would not be used.

- Extending axially within the `lcylinder B in this case 1s a burner b2 connected to a sup-` ply pipe ba which extends through the bottom plate B and is'connected to a source of air and acetylene or other suitable fule de- -livered through'pi es b4 and b5 res ectively. .This burner exten s well through t e cylinder B and is designed to produce an intense heat when operated therein under forced draft, there being -in the upper plate A an outlet pipe or chimney a3 to permit ofthe escape of the products of combustion. I

Surrounding the burner and placed 1n planes substantially radial thereto are aseries of sets of thermo couples, D, of which each couple is composed of strips d and d formed of two diferent metals, in the present instance iron and nickel, lying parallel with each other and connected together at one end.

The various couples of each set D are in this case connected in series, and the various sets may in tirrn be connected together electrically in the manner well known in the electrical art to secure the desired voltage or current capacity for the generator.

It will he noted that while the inner ends of the couples are immediately' adjacent to the lava cylinder B, or when this is omitted, to the space containing the burner, their outer ends are as far as possible from said burner and exposed to the cooling action of alr.

In order to increase the difference in temperature between the inner and outer ends of the couples, l place between each setI D thereof, a vertically extending water tube e and connect these tubes at the top by an annular conduit or ring E, similarly connecting their lower ^nds by a second annular conduit E. i:

An inlet e2 is provided for the ring E and an outlet c is provided for the ring E and it will be noted that the members of the various couples are separated from each other and from the cooling tubes e by insulating material e4. This latter is preferably some noncornbustible substance such as mica `or the like, and of such a nature as to be unlikely to break and unaffected by the heat or rother conditions to which it is exposed in my device.

. The terminals of the generator are indicatedv at a and a and in the present instance', are mounted in a suitable manner upon the top of the plate A. Under operating eonditionsliquid or gaseous fuel 1s delivel-ed, preferably under forced draft, to

the burner b2 and is burned within the chamber formed by the cylinder B and the plates and Zi or when said cylinder is omitted, "within 'the space lnclosed by the thermo j couples so that the inner ends of the strips 1 constituting the thermo couples are intensely heated. Vater is at the same time circu.

lated throngh the rings E and Erand' the tubes e, an under these conditions there is .il set upbetween the terminals of each couple a difference of potential dependent upon the vconditions well known in this art.; the various sets and couples being so connected as to secure any desired voltage and current capacityat the terminals a and a6.

It is obvious that any desired metals may be employed in place of the iron and nickel heretofore specified, and, if desired, in place o'tfarranging the couples in Vertical sets,

they may be arranged in any other manner which may be found advisable or convenient'.

Similarly, while I preferably supply they water tubes between the sets of couples from thetopan'd bottom rings E and E', I may in some cases completely inclose the various sets of thermo couples by a water jacket E2 and connect this to vertical tubes e, which,

asf-before, extend between the couples so as' rangement of the various sets of couples and their cooling apparatus, the electrical etli- 'ciency of the device is high for this type of apparatus.

I claim:

l1. A pyro-electric generator having a number of thermo couples arranged in a plurality of sets, with a plurality of conduits for cooling iiuid extending vertically ,between the sets of couples intermediate the ends of the elements constituting said couples. 42. A pyro-electric generator having a plurality of thermo couples arranged to form a hollow cylinder, means for heating one end of each couple, and a cooling device'consist- Ving ofa plurality of conduits extending substantially parallel with the axis of the cylinder between the thermo couples intermediate their ends. 3'. v'A pyro-electric generator havlng a plurality of thermo couples arranged. in the ',5 form of a hollow cylinder, means for heattubes between said sets,

HTI

end s of said couples, a cooling device con sistlng of a plurality of conduits extending vertically between the thermo couplesintermediate their ends, and means for supplying cooling fluid to said tubes.

5. A pyro-electric generator including a plurality of sets of thermo couples arranged radially to form a hollow cylinder, means for heating the inner ends of said couples, a plurality of verticalk tubes extending between the sets of' couples intermediate their ends, means for supplying coolinguid to said tubes, and heatii'igy means for the cou-l 6. Ihe combination in a pyro-electric generator of a .series of radially extending thermo couples supported in-vertical sets to form a hollow cylinder, tubes between said sets, means for supplying cooling Huid to, said tubes, and means for heating the couples.

7. The combination in a pyro-electric generator of a number of thermo couples supported in sets to form a hollow structure,

hollow rings respectively connected to the ends of said tubes, heating means for the generator, with conduits for supplying cooling fluid .to said rings and tubes.

8. A- pyro-electric generator consisting of a supporting framework, a cylinder of refractory material, heating means within said cylinder, a plurality'of thermo couples arranged radially around said refractory cylinder, a series of tubes between the various sets of thermo couples, and means'for supplying cooling fluid to said tubes.

9. A pyro-electric generator consisting of upper and a lower plate, means for mechanically connecting said plates, acylinder of refractory material confined between said plates, a plurality of' sets of thermo couples arranged around the outside of said cylinder in the form of a hollow cylindeifarseries of water tubes extending between said sets of couples, with means for supplying water to said tubes.

10. A pyro-electric generator consisting of an upper and a lower plate, means for mechanically connecting said plates, heating means mounted between the plates, a plurality of sets of thermo couples arranged around the outside of said .heating meansl in the form of a hollowcylinder, a series of water tubes cxtendingbctween said sets of couples, with two hollow rings respectively vertically extending' 10 couples and said sulating material between the metal of the tubes, means for supplying coolingfluid to the tubes, and heating means for the generator.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses GEORGE J. VOKEL.

Witnesses WM. E. SHUPE,

WM. A. BARR. 

